Re: Message to Saints Chairman : Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:36 am  

St pete wrote:

The is another player going at the end of the season.

Who else is going at the end of the season then? Have I misread this?

Are you alluding to Pryce going or are you saying another after Pryce Graham & Eastmond?

Re: Message to Saints Chairman : Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:17 am  

.Alice. wrote:

I think it's far too early to be considering giving him another deal.

I would love to see him stay with us, if he can play well consistently, but if he's going to be struggling we should get rid.

Why get rid of arguably our best player unless we can replace him with someone better? There is nobody with any quality available to replace him, unless we did the unimaginable and paid a transfer which isn't going to happen. Even if he warmed a seat in the doctors office for most of next season it would be better than not having him and being a quality player light, replacing him with a player who isn't even as good as our youngsters.

Keep him fit for the business end of the season and we're laughing.

Re: Message to Saints Chairman : Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:56 am  

Smurf wrote:

Why get rid of arguably our best player unless we can replace him with someone better?

What if he's asking for more than we're prepared to pay and is asking for a deal that's longer than we're prepared to offer?

Re: Message to Saints Chairman : Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:00 am  

That's the question isn't it. What if we don't see him for 3 years because of injury after a few weeks run out. But in the end that could happen to any player and going off recent form, sides seam to be content to pay off long term injured players to make room on the cap.

Saints had a similar quandry with Sculthorpe, he was in and out for a few seasons until in the end he made the decision for the club.

It's a tough call having a good player with a long term injury and only a few weeks will tell the doctors how the injury is going.

Re: Message to Saints Chairman : Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:20 am  

McClennan wrote:

What if he's asking for more than we're prepared to pay and is asking for a deal that's longer than we're prepared to offer?

If Saints are only prepared to offer one year because he is 29 and has had a bad year with injuries then they are going down the wrong Lee Gilmour route in my opinion. Money wise I have no idea, but I doubt he is commanding any more than he is already on, and as our star player he's bound to be one of our top earners.

I obviously have no idea what the numbers are but the fact remains that we can't replace him like for like, certainly not for next season anyway. So we either have him or we don't, but I feel the club should do everything they can to keep him. If they have to shed the likes of Gardner in order to accommodate him alongside Lance and Boof, then so be it for me.

Re: Message to Saints Chairman : Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:21 am  

Apart from these past twelve months or so Pryce has had a good run so he doesn't have the wear and tear on him that the likes of Sculthorpe, Farrell and even Fielden have and he looks athletic enough to be able to go on for a few more years yet too. Three more years though on top dollar? Two maybe and then a possible reduction but three is a big ask when he'll be 30 at the beginning of next year. Are we really prepared to commit to that? One season yes. Two seasons, I'd take that chance but three? On top dollar too? I wouldn't commit us to three years on that basis. He could be done a yearly renewal but I understand why he'd want a firm commitment to three years from a team even if he could probably stretch his career out by going to yearly contracts.

Re: Message to Saints Chairman : Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:22 am  

Smurf wrote:

If Saints are only prepared to offer one year because he is 29 and has had a bad year with injuries then they are going down the wrong Lee Gilmour route in my opinion.

Yeah but he'll be 30 before the start of next year and three years is a big commitment to a player at that age in our sport as it would be in football.

Re: Message to Saints Chairman : Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:27 am  

McClennan wrote:

Three more years though on top dollar? Two maybe and then a possible reduction but three is a big ask when he'll be 30 at the beginning of next year. Are we really prepared to commit to that? One season yes. Two seasons, I'd take that chance but three? On top dollar too? .

Out of curiosity, do you think or know that Catalans have offered him 3 years? Some people seem to be in the know but I have no idea other than the rumours on here. I would be surprised to be honest, unless they are hoping for a Menzies-esque miracle.

Re: Message to Saints Chairman : Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:36 am  

That's the rumour. If you want to get big name players to come to your club you have to pay a little bit more though don't you? It's like Man City when they first got their money and wanted to attract big name players. They had to commit to more than what the market was dictating to attract players e.g. Wayne Bridge four and a half year deal. He's not going to go to Catalans for the same deal he could get here unless the lifestyle options are a significant factor for him.

Re: Message to Saints Chairman : Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:40 pm  

He's still under 30 though, isn't he?